Battery connector



July 3, 1923 1,1-fi0,604

c. E. POTTER BATTERY CONNECTOR Filed Feb. 17. 1921 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 C.E. POTTER BATTERY CONNECTOR July 3, 1923. 1,460,604

Filed Feb. 17. 1921 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented July 3, 1923.

UNITED STATES CLARENCE E. POTTER, 0F BALTIMORE, MARYLANP.

BATTERY CONNECTOR.

Application filed February 17, 1921.

T0 (LZZ whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLAnnNcn E. POTTER, a citizen of the United States,residing at Baltimore, in the county of Baltimore City and State ofMaryland, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in BatteryConnectors, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to battery connectors and more especially to aconnector which is designed for the purpose of connecting the terminalsof a number of battery cells, the principles of the invention beingapplicable when the cells are to be connected in series, or multiple, orseries-multiple. Where a battery comprising a number of dry cells forexample is employed in a telephonic circuit, an automobile ignitioncircuit, or in fact under any condition where the conductor wiresrequire to be connected in a precise manner and any other arrangementwould be impracticable if not positively rendering the systeminoperative, it not infrequently happens that inexperienced or carelesselectricians or others who are not familiar with the work will inrenewing one or more of the battery cells fail to make the properelectrical connecti0ns,with the results stated. It is therefore one ofthe primary objects of the present invention to provide a connectorwhich may be readily and accurately assembled with a required number ofbattery cells and to the terminals of which the conductor wires may bepermanently connected so that this latter con nection need not bedisturbed in renewing any one or more of the cells.

Another object of the invention is to provide, a battery connector ofthe class above mentioned so constructed as to adapt it to i be readilyand quickly assembled with the binding posts or terminals of standardcells without the necessity of employing any wires or similar electricalconductors liable to become disarranged or torn loose from the batsultthe cells are liable to be knocked about tery terminals.

Another object of: the invention is to provide a battery connector soconstructed that in assembling the same with a number ot" battery cells,the one performing the task will be influenced to establish the properconnections, even though he be inexperienced in the work, and so thatliability of an improper or inoperative connection is reduced to aminimum.

In the installation and operation. of elec--- Serial No. 445,652.

trical circuits of various kinds and where a number of dry cells forexample constitute the source of current supply, it is frequentlydesirable to establish a plurality of circuits in connection with thebattery and these circuits may operate on difi'erent voltages. For thispurpose it is necessary to tap the battery circuit at points to em braceonly the required number of cells to produce the desired voltage, and,by the ordinary method where conductor wires are employedv solely, thistask is confusing to an inexperienced person, and even skilledelectricians are liable to make errors in establishing the connections.Therefore it is a further object of the present invention to provide abattery connector so constructed that the battery circuit may be readilyand conveniently tapped to obtain current from any desired part of thetotal number of cells coupled by the connector, and thus any desiredvoltage readily obtained with certainty.

Another object of the invention is to so construct the connector thatregardless of the number of electrical conductors leading therefrom forthe supply of current, any one or more of the cells coupled by thecennector may be removed and replaced without. disturbing the connectionof the said electrical conductors with. the connector.

The principles of the invention may find embodiment in a connector foremployment in circuits where the connections are more or lesscomplicated, and on the other hand the invention, in a simplerembodiment, is particularly useful where it is desired to couple a smallnumber of cells as for example in a house bell circuit, buzzer circuit,or the like. Ordinarily in such a circuit the cells are placed upon theshelf or other support and no other connection is provided between themor any support afl'orded except the conductor wires which are con nectedwith their binding posts. As a re- In one em-.

v ductoi' element relativemovement such as results in severance of theconnections established in the old way, although at the same time anyone or more of the cell may be removed and replaced whenever required.

In the accompanying drawings? Figure 1 is a perspective view of one formof connector embodying the invention as sembled with a battery of drycells of standard type; v

Figure 2 is a similar view but illustrating a simpler arrangement; p T II Figure 3 is a perspective view of on'e of the conductor elements ofthe connectors shown inFigur'es 1 and 2; m

Figure t is a similar View of another eon- Figure-5 is a transversesectional view on the line 5 5 of Figure 1;

Figure fi is a similar view on the line 66 oi Figure I; v

*igure i is a similar view on the line 77 ofliigur'e 2; M I Fig re 8 a.Yi s m a :9 Figure. llustrating a slight modification of the int b iFig" ure 9 is a perspective view illustrating another embodiment of theinvention; v Figure is a perspective view of one of the conductorelementsf oi'ining a part of the structure shown in Fi jiire 9; p sFigure 11 is a sectional view on the line ii- 11 pfEigure9; K Figure 12is a view similar to Figure 9 illustrating another embodiment of theinventioii;

, igurelfl isa transverse sectional view on lnall forms oithe inventionillustrated iii tlie drawings he principle is the same, and n act thedrawings are intended only to show 'several possible embodiments of the'n'ventio'n, it bei g u iderstood that the rela ive arr'n em'eni o inthe com uc or will e varied in accordance with the requirements in eachparticii lar e se. p I I its errin ginore particularly to theembodiment. of the invention illustrated in I Figures 1 to 6 inclusive,although this eml. i. I 1 aid t y e each having pos t ve and negative.

bodiinent possesses, features common to the fprni shown in Brig-fires 2iand as will presently be xplaineth, the numeral 1 indicates in genera Va plura ity of dry cells of standt' mina s2. aii d 3 i'espectivel .whichare t e form of the v r ina ry bin ing=posts In Fig re l -asuita lenumber of cells, for exa sixare to be coup ed t'o onstitute the per-y,and theco n'ector 1 lustrated in Figure 6 s articular y designed for usein connection with t isniimber of cells. Th said connector inc iides aninsulating body i a similar view on the line he parts compris which maybe of any material found suitable for the purpose shch for exrhn'ple ashard rubber, fibre, vulcanite, or the like, and the said body is in thenature of a strip of any desired cross-sectional shape and formed inwhat is its under side when the connector is use, with spaced parallellomzitudinallv extending grooves 5. The body 5 may he of any requiredlength and in fact it may be cut oil from a lon strip of theconstruction illustrated. In other words. in carrying out the invention,long strips of insulatingmaterial might be provided with ,grooves 5,andthen suitable lengths cut from such a strip de endin upon the number ofcells to be coup ed. n connection with the strip there are employedconductor elements some Of which, are of the double t pe shown inFigures 3 and 6, and others of he singlety shown in Fig. 4, and theseelements, in t e present embodiment of the invention, are preferablyformed from sheet metal. The conductor element shown in Figure 3 is indicated in ge eral by the numeral 6. and the single (Ohq llQtOI elementshown in Figure 4 is indica ed in general by the numeral 7. Theconductor element 6 is formed from a sheet metal blank. and comprisesspaced conductor portions 8 which are connected and extend in spaced reltion from the ends of a bridge piece 9 with he loweredige of wgeh theyare preferably formed inte ral. his bridge piece has openings l0 formedthrough it ear its ends and preferably an openin 11 ormed at an intemediate in in its length. ,In,the manu aeture o the connector, thebridge piece 9 of the one or more conductor elem nts 6 'mployed, isfitted into one or the o henof the grooves 5, and screws or other fasteingi 'eements 12 are fitted into the ins, 1a or body 4 nd through theopenings 1 I so to secure he said. elements 6 in place, he conductorportions 8 of ihe element ti hereiore c te d orizontallv rom the up sideti body 4, and {hey ,are prefera lali of ailengt at l a st e ua to theradius ot t a up er and of t e or inary standard dry cell. l achof theportions 8 is formed in its outer end with an aperture or notch 13, andthese notches are designed to receive the binding ppsts or terminals 2or 3 as the case may be of adjacent cells. For example the notch in theend of one of the portions 8 will reee've the positive terminal 2 of onell, the notch in the other ortion 8 pif fhe same oiidiietor element wilreceive t e hegativdbiriding post or terminal 3 of an adja'oent 11. U napplication o f the portion to {1% bin mg po of adjacent cells, the b'n'lng nuts upon these p ts are tighfii t as securel e conzne ctin t earts. of the portions 5 and t e space wee these pprtions is such thatthe cels to coup 'ed may be arranged side by si' e in compact relationand at one side of the vertical plane occupied by the body 4. Thusgroups of cells may be aranged at opposite sides of the plane ofthe saidbody and coupled by conductor elements arranged in both grooves andhaving their conductor portions 8 projecting beyond the correspondingsides of the said body 4.

The singleconductor element shown in Figure 4 of the drawings andindicated by the numeral 7 may be formed from a strip of sheet metal andcomprises a portion 14 similar in form and dimensions to the portion 8of the element 6, the elen't-ent 7 being provided at the .inner end ofits portion 14 with an upstanding portion 15 having an opening 16 forthe passage of. a screw or other securing element 17 which is fittedinto the body 4, the said portion 15 being received within one or theother of the grooves 5. The portion 14 of the element 7 is provided atits outer end with an aperture or notch 18 corresponding to theapertures or notches 13 heretofore referred to and adapted to receiveone of the terminals 2 or 3 of one of the battery cells as illustratedin Figure 1. It will be evident from the foregoing that any desirednumber of the con ductor elements 6 and 7 may be arranged at suitablyspaced intervals throughout the length oi. the body 4 and that all ofthese elements are relatively spaced and electri cally insulated by thesaid body. However, the terminals of two adjacent cells may beelectrically connected by a pair of conductor elements 7 and in themanner illustrated in Figures 1 and 6 of the drawings in whicharrangement, although the portions 15 of the two said elements 7 areseated in separate ones of the grooves 5 in the body 4 and are in thisrespect out of electrical contact. A single screw 19 is employed forsecuring both of the elements to the body. this screw passing throughopenings 16 in the portions oi both elements 7 and thus establishingelectrical connection between the said elements.

- Any of the securing screws 12, 17 or 19 may serve also as a securingmeans for an electrical terminal connection 20 of any ordinary type andto which an associated conductor wire 21 may be soldered or otherwisepermanently connected, and usually the screws 17 which secure theelements 7 in place upon the body 4, will have associated with them theconnections 20, these single conductor elements being usually located atthe terminals of the battery circuit which is provided by the connectorembodying the invention. In the embodiment illustrated in Figure 1, twoof the conductor wires 21 are employed and all of the cells 1 areembraced in the circuit of which these wires form a part. In such anassemblage however it might frequently be desirable to establish anothercircuit embracing for example only two or three of the cells and inorder that this may be conveniently done, the insulating body 4 isformed at intervals in its opposite sides with openings 22 whichregister with the openings 11 in the bridge portions 9 of the conductorelements 6, so that, as illustrated in dotted lines in Figure 5 of thedrawings, one of the connections 20 might be secured by ascrew enteringone or the other of the openings 22 and threaded into the opening 11 ofthe respective element 6, the circuit being in this manner tapped at apoint to include one, two, or any desired part of the total number ofcells.

The embodiment of the invention illustrated in Figures2 and 7 of thedrawings is substantially identical with that shown in the previouslydescribed figures except that in this instance the insulator body 4 isformed with only one of the grooves 5 and is adapted to be secured, asfor example by screws 23, to a wall surface or the like and at asuitably elevated point above a shelf or other base 24 upon which thecells to be coupled by the connector may be disposed to rest. In thismanner a number of cells may be electrically coupled in proper order andat the same time secured in such a manner as to prevent them beingknocked about and becoming relatively displaced, and yet any one or moreof the cells may be readily removed and replaced whenever occasionrequires.

In the previously described embodiment of the invention the attachingportions of the conductor elements whether of the single or double typehave been seated in grooves formed in the insulator body 4 of theconnector but this construction may be modified as shown in Figure 8, inthe instance of the single conductor. and as shown in Figures 12, 413and 14 in the instance of the conductor of the double type. Structurallythe conductor elements in these modified embodiments are identical withthe cor" responding elements in the previously described embodiment butinstead of being anchored in grooves in the insulating body 4, they aresecured directly upon the opposite side faces of the said body. ThusFigure 8 illustrates a conductor of the single type in dicated by thenumeral 25 and corresponding to the conductor 7 and having a portion. 26corresponding to the portion 15 of the conductor 7 and disposed againstone face of the insulator body 4 and secured in place by a screw or thelike 27. Similarly in Figures 12, 18 and 14, the conductor of the doubletype indicated in general by the numeral 28 and substantially identicalwith the conductor 6, is secured by screws 29 upon one face of theinsulator body 4. the opening 30 in the bridge portion of this conductorelement and corresponding I to the opening llbeing in registration witha threaded socket 31 formed in the said face of the insulator body 4 soas to receive the screw to secure in place and in electrical contiictwith the bridge portion of the said element 28, one of the connections20.

In the previously described forms of the invention the conductorelements are formed from sheet metal but as illustrated in Figures 9, 10and 11 these elements may be made from wire, as indicated by the numoral32, and may be provided with termim1 ears 33 to receive the bindingposts of the'ba'ttery cells of the single conductor or the bridgingportions of conductors of the double type may be embedded in theinsulating body. this body being molded from somesditable insulatingmaterial. In this form of the invention the inner ends of the conductorelements if of the single type, or the bridging portions of theconductor if of the double type, are flattened, as at 34, and providedin their flattened portions with openings 35 for the passage-0f thebinding screws.

' Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new is: v

' 1. In a battery connector,- an insulating body to extend across aplurality of battery cells, conductor elements extending laterally fromsaid body and having their inner ends embedded therein and their outerends donstructed to engage battery-cell binding posts, bridging membersof conducting material embedded in the insulating body and connectingthe inner ends of some conductor elements, and means extendini throughthe insulating body to secure the rid fng members and the inner ends ofcon uctor elements within said body, said means serving also to connectcircuit conductors to said elements.

2. A battery connector com rising an insulating bar having alongitudinal groove in its under side, conductor elements constructed attheir outer ends to engage the terminals of battery cells and havintheir inner ends upturned and fitting in t e groove in the insulatingbut, other U-shaped conductor elements having the outer ends of theirside portions constructed to engage terminals of battery cells and theirbridge portions upturned and fitting in the grbove in the insulatingbar, and means for connecting some of the elements to circuit conductorsat the insulating bar.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

CLARENCE E; POTTER.

